How to Make a Bag: Tote Bag Pattern

What’s the Project: Looking for a quick and easy sewing project? This tote bag pattern and tutorial is fast and turns out great!

Every woman loves a good bag-am I right? They can be filled with diapers and toys when you’re in mom mode, they can be cute and flirty when you’ve got a date, or they can be filled with your laptop and notebooks when you head to work or school.

Or sometimes in my case, they can be a bottomless pit filled with who knows what-how’s that french fry get there?

Bags are one of my very favorite things to sew and the beauty of this one is that it’s super simple. It’s all straight lines-a perfect easy sewing project for beginners. And it’s super cute!

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If you don’t know how to sew a bag, this is a good place to start! This tote bag pattern is easy and you’ll love how it turns out!

It’s got one fabric on the top, another on the bottom and I did a third inside. So you can customize it for the person you are making it for!

(Optional-if you feel like you want to straps sturdy, line them with a fusible interfacing like fusible fleece)

Instructions: Let’s start with this video. It should give you most of what you need to sew this so watch this first and then if you need more help, there’s step by step instructions below:

Or here are the written instructions:

Cut out the pieces mentioned above.

Place top fabric on the bottom fabric with right sides together and sew them together.

Do this for both pieces and then iron the seam flat.

With one of your pieces that you just sewed, place it on your inner fabric and use it as a guide to cut out the inner fabric to match what you just created. Cut 2 of your inner fabric.

Sew the two inner pieces together around both sides and the bottom with right sides facing.

Sew both of your outer pieces together around both sides and the bottom with right sides facing.

Now you are going to create box corners on these. To do this, grab the bottom corner of the bag and turn it so that that the fabric is laying like this:

You will then sew a seam across the top tip of that triangle a few inches down from the tip:

Then snip off that tip:

Do this with both outer corners and both inner corners.

Set these aside while we make the straps.

Take your long pieces and fold them in half the long way with right sides together and sew up the long side.

Turn right side out (this will be a little tricky and time-consuming. I use a chopstick or pair of scissors to help push the fabric though. And I watch a good show while I do it.)

Press straps flat with seam in the center of the back:

Now, turn your inner fabric right side out but leave your outer fabric inside out. Put the inner bag down inside the outer bag. Slide your straps inside the bag in between the two fabrics, making sure that the seam on the back of the fabric is facing the inside of the bag and pin everything in place like this so that the fabric is even all the way around and the strap ends are between your inner and outer layers of fabric on both sides and have the ends poking out slightly.

Sew all the way around the top of the bag leaving a 4-inch opening to turn it. *Make sure that opening is not where a strap is. You need to get those sewn in place.

Turn bag right side out and tuck inside into outside.

Press the whole bag. Fold the opening in and press that as well so that it looks just the same as the part that was sewn.

Top stitch all the way around the top of the bag. This will also close your opening.

Comments

Oh, that is very cute. I love the shape of it and the mix of fabrics. It is very similar to one I just recently made, except mine had grommets that the straps went through. I love seeing how it would look with regular straps! I will definitely make this one! Thanks for another great project!!

That is a very nice bag. I love to make bags. All kind of bags and I will make this one too. For myself or to give away. Glad my son has a girlfriend who loves bags too, so another reason for me to make them. Thank you for this pattern and tutorial. Greetings from Holland

Cute bag. I made this today but didn’t feel the directions about finishing – putting the straps on was very clear. I had to repin it three times before I had it right. It states to turn the inside right side out but then does not tell you how to put them together to sew them. The picture was not clear to me either. I do love the bag and the overall ease of making it. Thanks

Agree. I have to redo my straps. Another picture or two on this step woujd have been great. The rest of the instruction was easy to follow. But make sure your box corners are even on both sides. Do one and hold it up to the opposite side to measure, so they match. Thanks for the instructions.

I love these little tote bags. I’ve been making them out of scraps of left over material. These are then sent to the shoe box appeal for underprivileged children who have nothing and don’t even get Christmas presents , a worthy cause. The brighter the colours the better and it gets rid of scraps too.

Great fast tote bag! I just made it & love it! I added a zippered pocket to the inside lining to hold keys/cash/etc. It’s easy to add the pocket before sewing the lining together. Great quick project for summer. Thanks.

This is a great tutorial! I have never made a bag before and a smashed it in less than four hours. I used some leftover denim and some funky leftover curtain fabric for outside with a cheap thin cotton to line the inside, also leftovers and it looks really great, I just love it. I might add a press stud or two to help close the top when in use.

Hi! Thanks for the tutorial! I hope it is okay I shared your blog link on my page! My Mini version of the Tote is going to make an awesome present for my 2 year old! http://www.facebook.com/spunhoneyfabrics

This was my very first sewing project, and I’m so excited about how it came out! I learned a lot during the process, and I’ll probably go back and look at your “learning to sew” series before trying another like this again. But it did come out really well, and I’m very happy! Thanks so much for the tutorial!

Thanks for the pattern and such clear instructions. I want to make Halloween totes for my Great Nieces. This will be perfect. I can easily resize it to fit them, And I can get cute Halloween fabric for the bottom half and something solid for the top half that I can personalize with Heat Transfer Vinyl.

yes finally the perfect bag ! i have searched for years but could never find one ! alas my search is over ! i can now die in peace , knowing that i can pass this on to my grand daughters they are very nice kids you should love them too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great tutorial, thank you so much for sharing it! This is very similar to the library book bags I make for mumsy-in-law (who is a book-borrowing fiend) except the measurements are much better than mine. So I’ll be your measurements from now on. I also do a fabric collage or art of some type on mine. Last time was a photo of her when she was four, jumping into the air. I added fairy wings, flower headband, and a tulle skirt. I collage’d the words “Yippee, time for books!” on it.

I made the bag & love it! When I make it again I will attach the straps differently. I will have the raw edge of the strap extend above the top of the bag by 1.5 inches and baste in place before joining the lining with the outside of bag. After turning the bag I will top stitch an inch below the top around the entire bag to secure the straps. I might stitch an X over each strap also to reinforce those straps even more.

Thanks for your tutorial. It helped me to make a wonderful tote bag. I am making one bag for my son, as he is going abroad and one for myself. The tutorial was very easy to understand. Thanks once again.

I’m working on this bag at the moment. It has been so easy and my finished project is looking soooo cute. It is for my girlfriend so I am excited. I am to the part about sewing it all together. Very clear about how to position everything but I’m confused. Those straps are only on one side of the bag, right? and, wont that make the bag sort of gap when it is held by the straps? always hang open? Im confused about the positioning of the straps. help please. Otherwise I will just whip up another strap and put it on both sides before it sew the whole thing together.

Hi, two points. 1.) I understand the confusion on the straps. Could you address that issue, please? A lot of us are having problems with the instructions. Thank you. 2.) In the photo, the tote looks lined; is it?

To make it easier for some commenters, I’ve made this bag twice now and it is really simple, you put one strap on one side and the other strap on the other side. If you find it confusing, go up to the top and look at the picture of the completed bag, it helps so much. Make sure the seam on the strap is facing the inner fabric, then sew around the whole bag leaving a gap to turn it right side out, when you top stitch it closes the gap. It’s easy to make it smaller, just cut your fabric smaller which is what I done with the second one and I made the straps thinner and shorter too (I’m only 5 feet tall so it’s easier for me to have it shorter). Thank you for this pattern! I’ve only been sewing for around 3 months (complete beginner, never having seen anything before that) and it is perfect for what I need.

Ps. All of my work colleagues thought I had bought my bag, not made it lol, can’t wait to start using the second one which I’ve literally just finished :)

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Well hello!

Hi! I am Amber. I'm first and foremost a mom to 4 boys. When I am not being a mom or a wife I love to bake, I love to sew, I love to read and I don't like to sit still. Welcome to Crazy Little Projects where I show off my latest crazy projects and show you how you can do them too. Thanks for visiting! [Read More …]